May 29, 2007

Yeah, I know I've been ODing on the YouTube links, and it's getting to be annoying, but I have a perfect excuse - I've been sick.

Caught a very nasty upper respiratory infection from several kids at my godson's birthday party. (It was so bad, I thought it was strep throat - but no other symptoms were present). Anyway, it's meant a harsh, sharp cough that leads me breathless; having to scrap a podcast because my voice sounds like it's breaking (and at my age, that's so not cool); sleeping and drinking plenty of fluids; and, well, catching up on my reading.

First, if you liked The Tipping Point, you will absolutely enjoy Blink. The latter book deals with how we make decisions, and quite frankly - will make you reconsider how you make decisions. It's an easy read, and well worth your time.

Speaking of which, the book that has absolutely rocked my world is Daniel Stashower's biography of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Teller of Tales. If you think Doyle was just about Sherlock Holmes, think again - he wrote several science fiction type stories (including creating Professor Challenger, an early Doctor Who - esque adventurer). This book does what very few books want me to do - check out Doyle's other work, such as The Lost World, Trilby (about sexual obsession), and the Brigadier Gerard stories. In fact, Stashower is able to reconcile Doyle's "rational" approach to Holmes with a later interest in spiritualism. Now, if only Stashower could reconcile Greg's intelligent, sharp postings with his love of ABBA (which, as everyone knows, is Swedish for "Satan's Handservants").

But right now, I've got to conserve my strength - I got three different requests for job interviews, one of which is a big deal. As in, "I-better-clean-up-my-act-before-being-hired" kind of big deal. Hopefully, though, I will be rid of this nasty lung thing.

4 comments:

First, you wish me a Happy Birthday, then you insult me by saying I'm not as good as Bully (probably true, but oh, the sting!), now you praise AND insult me in the same sentence! You're on quite the roll.

Don't worry, when I rule all, love of ABBA will not be a prerequisite for staying on my good side. But, you know, it couldn't hurt! Listen again to the tuneful melodies and heartfelt lyrics! You will come around!

That sounds like a pretty cool book, actually. Just something else I should read!